Space Facts

• The Sun is over 300000 times larger than earth. More Sun facts.
• Halley’s Comet was last seen in the inner Solar System in 1986, it will be visible again from Earth sometime in 2061 (get your camera ready). More comet facts.
• Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system with a surface temperature of over 450 degrees celcius.
• Many scientists believe that an asteroid impact caused the extinction of the dinosaurs around 65 million years ago. More asteroid facts.
• The Solar System formed around 4.6 billion years ago. More Solar System facts.
• The Moon appears to have more craters and scars than Earth because it has a lot less natural activity going on, the Earth is constantly reforming its surface through earthquakes, erosion, rain, wind and plants growing on the surface, while the moon has very little weather to alter its appearance. More Moon facts.
• Saturn isn't the only ringed planet, other gas giants such as Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune also have rings, they are just less obvious.
• Footprints and tyre tracks left behind by astronauts on the moon will stay there forever as there is no wind to blow them away.
• In 2006, astronomers changed the definition of a planet. This means that Pluto is now referred to as a dwarf planet. Learn more dwarf planet facts.
• Because of lower gravity, a person who weighs 100kg on earth would only weigh 38kg on the surface of Mars.
• The only planet that rotates on its side like a barrel is Uranus. The only planet that spins backwards relative to the others is Venus.
• Some of the fastest meteoroids can travel through the solar system at a speed of around 42 kilometres per second (26 miles per second). Check out more meteoroid facts or learn the difference between comets, asteroids and meteoroids.
• The first man made object sent into space was in 1957 when the Russian satellite named Sputnik was launched.
• Jupiter's 4 biggest moons are named Europa, Ganymede, Callisto and Io. More Solar System moon facts.
• It is because of the Sun & Moons gravity that we have high & low tides.
• For a list of important space definitions take a look at our glossary of easy space and astronomy definitions for kids.